Dead Body Found Near Ocala Church

Published December 21st, 2012

Loading Video...

OCALA - A place for worship and sanctuary in Ocala. The First United Methodist Church was disturbed by police sirens and officials Friday morning. Lying in the open on the grass. The body of a white male about 5 foot 10 and 170 pounds wearing green shorts and a long sleeved orange pullover was first spotted right outside the church's offices by church officials.

Lieutenant Billy Woods with the Ocala Police Department says there was blood on the scene but that the person was not shot nor stabbed. "I wouldn't necessarily call it a foul play because we don't have enough physical evidence at the scene to give us a clear direction of which way this went. Whether it be a foul or whether it be an accidental death."

James Dyess who grew up in the area of ocala worries and hopes police can solve the mystery and find out what really happened; Soon. "Well you know with the events that happened in connecticut and it being at a church... You know your mind just goes wild at first," Dyess said.

Lieutenant Woods says a number things could have happened leading to his death. "It's nothing unusual southeast 11th avenue is a well traveled road for vehicles and pedestrians, the church just happens to own the property on both sides of the road and that's probably where the individual was walking or where they were traveling in the vehicle and that's just where he ended up," Woods says.

Officials with the medical examiners office were on scene today they hope to identify the body by tonight and notify the next of kin soon after.Anyone with information is urged to call the Ocala Police Department at 352-369-7000.